The maximum price fixed at first by Congress for the _Newark_ was less than any of the bids received, but at the last session the appropriation was increased to $1,300,000, and the contract was awarded in August of this year. The _Newark_ is a bark-rigged, twin-screw cruiser of 4083 tons displacement. A double bottom extends through 129 feet of her length, and a protective deck, which rises fifteen inches above the water-line amidships, runs uninterruptedly fore and aft. Four feet above this the berth-deck is built, the intermediate space being greatly subdivided and utilized for stores. Numerous water-tight frames are worked in the double bottom, and wherever practicable the cellular construction is employed. The engines are to develop 6000 horse-power with natural draft, and 8500 horse-power and a maximum speed of eighteen knots with forced draft. This vessel has a poop and forecastle, and the guns are carried on the upper deck. The main battery consists of twelve 6-inch centre-pivot guns, furnished with segmental shields, and mounted on sponsons so as to obtain the greatest arc of fire; the two guns nearest the bow and stern converge their fire at a point 400 feet distant from the ends of the ship, and those in broadside can be concentrated within 100 feet of the ship. In addition to the secondary battery given in the table, there are six above-water torpedo-tubes. The development of naval construction cannot be proved more conclusively than by comparing the new cruisers with those which were first laid down. In the _Atlanta_, for example, the builder guaranteed that 664 tons of machinery would produce 3500 indicated horse-power; but the _Charleston_ must, before acceptance, develop 7000 horse-power for 710 tons of machinery; that is to say, the energy for weight has been doubled within four years.